Mon 7.12.

The Lausanne based practice Local Architecture realised this two family house on the countryside of south-west Switzerland.

Maracon Housing by Local Architecture

“The building is located in the continuity of the existing farms, respecting the morphology and scale of the other constructions in the village. The project is inspired from traditional architectural forms and codes and is reinterpreted to the use of the building and to contemporary esthetics. The form of the building nestles itself in the topography of the ground and inscribes itself in the landscape.”

Maracon Housing by Local Architecture

“The structure is formed of a succession of partition walls of various dimensions which generates the volume and space of the building. The form is dictated by the program, thus being two families living under the same roof. The north façade, concave and closed folds itself to mark the main entrance under the pressure of the north wind. The south façade, convex and glazed, visually seperates the garden in two parts to create intimate spaces for the two families.”

The Helsinki based SARC Architects designed the new building for The Finnish Forest Research Institutes (METLA) in Joensuu in the east if Finland. The building is situated at the Joensuu University campus-area, in the close vicinity of the city centre.

“The staff of Joensuu Forest Research Institute was growing until the end of 2005 up to 150-170 employees, of which 100 were permanent staff members, from 110 employees, including 60 researches, working at the Research Institute. This growth necessitated the building of new workspaces, because of the insufficiency of the existing facilities.

The Research Institute’s task is to undertake applied forestry research which supports the regional enterprise activities and forest related regional economic, social and ecological development. One of the Research Institutes seven focus areas is the research of wooden materials.”

Walls made of 100 years timber, photo by Jussi Tiainen

“The primary goal of the construction project was to use Finnish wood in innovative ways. Hence, wood is the main material used throughout the building, from the post-beam-slab -system in the structural frame to the exterior cladding. The building fits in the cityscape in respect to its size, which is closely related to the adjoining buildings. However, the clear form and the uniform materiality achieved through the extensive use of wood make it a distinct entity.

The workspaces in the building surround a central courtyard and lobby. The entrance to the courtyard is flanked by walls made of 100-year old timber. The courtyard itself is lifted above the buildings immediate surroundings, and with the lobby and its restaurant form a meeting point for the staff of the Forest Research Institute.

The courtyard is dominated by tall pine trees growing through the terrace, a conference space that resembles an overturned boat and fish-chest inspired tilted wooden columns.”

The Dutch Rocha Tombal Architecten recently finished this single family house in Utrecht / Netherlands.

“From a basic form, defined by the municipal urban plan, sculptural “eyes” emerge with direct views to the varied countryside landscape. The form and orientation of the building avoid visual contact with the adjacent houses: at the ground floor the angled ceiling of the kitchen accentuates the intensive contact with the garden. On the first floor, the different shaped openings in the roof and façade offer, like “fingers of light”, varied daylight experiences.”

“The routing through the house starts in the hall, a section of the ground floor volume. After experiencing the entrance area and passing the gigantic pivoted door, the visitor arrives at the “heart of the house”, the kitchen. Here he looks through the big glass wall straight into the garden, which suggests being outside again. Behind him, the stair cuts a wooden wall inviting to follow the route towards the first floor. Its angled form and extreme proportions (small and high) and the daylight entering from the ceiling, offer the feeling of walking in a medieval street.”

Mon 28.9.

The Swedish architects designed this house for a graphic designer and his family. The starting pint for this modest-looking bungalow was a geometric volume where the inside was as important as the outside. If you wish – an inverted volume. A box with a series of openings, or a space with a series of closures.

No.5 House by Claesson Koivisto Rune

Here is what the architects explain:

A grid was established that was based on standardised dimensions for building materials. The grid was then superimposed on the box. From this grid was created the basic room structure. Each room then had one of it’s four sides completely glazed. The result contained three bedrooms and one larger living/dining space with kitchen.

Kitchen and living room

The bedrooms are basically open towards one cardinal point each, leaving one opening in each façade. So even though the bedrooms are small the surrounding landscape is always a part of the space, making the sense vast rather than small. The bathroom, which has no wall opening, has a roof window instead. There is a glazed doorway from the living area to a partially walled terrace, creating an outdoor room that is open to the sky at one end and open to the view at the other.